"It's just not acceptable to me with so much on the line": Aryna Sabalenka feels 'unsafe' and 'disrespected by the WTA' after Cancun chaos
WTA
Aryna Sabalenka took aim at the WTA both during her post match press conference and also subsequent Instagram stories after defeating Maria Sakkari in her opener at the WTA Finals.
Despite the fact that Sabalenka won, she was left bemused by the surface and said she doesn't feel safe moving on the court especially given that they couldn't practice on it before.
She went on to say that it is 'not acceptable' given the stakes and that she feels disrespected by the WTA as a result of the situation. There was a note from her to thank the workers involved in making it happen, but it was the WTA who were singled out for blame.
"I am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals. As I said in my press conference tonight, as a player I really feel disrespected by the WTA. I think most of us do. This is not the level of organization we expect for the Finals," she wrote in one of her Instagram stories.
"To be honest, I don't feel safe moving on this court a lot of the time, the bounce is not consistent at all, and we weren't able to practice on this court until yesterday for the first time. It's just not acceptable to me with so much on the line and so much at stake."
"All that said, I definitely want to show my appreciation for the local tournament organizers, everyone that built the court at the last minute, and everyone that's working here at the event," she continued.
"I know it's not their fault and I want them to know, as well as all the Mexican fans, that I love them and appreciate them."I'm very happy to be in Mexico, I'm just upset with the WTA and this situation."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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